BEEF producers achieving outstanding compliance rates to Australia's eating quality grading system Meat Standards Australia will be recognised at a series of award events around the country next month.
Hosted by Meat & Livestock Australia, finalists in the 2019 MSA Excellence in Eating Quality Awards have now been announced.
The awards are presented to those who best meet MSA specifications and achieve high eating quality performance, as represented by MSA Index results for MSA graded cattle during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 financial years.
They will be presented for 'Most Outstanding MSA Feedlot'; along with two awards for 'Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producers' to recognise producers of both large and small (non-feedlot) MSA consignment volumes. One producer will also win the MSA Excellence in Eating Quality Progress Award for showing the greatest improvement in their MSA results since the last awards series in 2017.
Australian 'Lambassador', Sam Kekovich, will be guest speaker at the events, which are being staged in conjunction with the 'Consumer trends driving on-farm change' producer forum.
The Queensland event will kick the series off. It will be held at Biloela on September 10 at the Anzac Memorial Club, starting at 1.30pm.
MSA Program Manager Sarah Strachan said the awards were a great opportunity to recognise producers who were committed to producing beef that consistently achieved exceptional compliance rates to MSA's strict specifications and delivered a superior eating experience to consumers.
"It's a major achievement to be named a finalist, given that more than 15,000 producers throughout Australia consigned over 6.6 million cattle to the MSA program throughout the 2017-18 and 2018-19 period," Ms Strachan said.
The Queensland finalists are:
Most Outstanding MSA Feedlot:
- AA Co Goonoo Feedlot, Comet
- Canning Downs South Pty Ltd, Elbow Valley
- Kerwee Feedlot, Jondaryan
Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer (Band 1):
- Brownleigh Pastoral Co, Goondiwindi
- Collingwood Pastoral Co, Tara
- Yarrawonga Cattle Co, Wallumbilla
Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer (Band 2):
- FG & RG Giltrow, Minna-Billa, Goondiwindi
- Morgan Boys Pt Ltd, Bowenville
- KJ Wonka, Blue Poles, Chinchilla
MSA Progress Award:
- McNamee Partners Pty Ltd, Millmerran
- Moolabah Agriculture Pty Ltd, St George
- RMI Pty Ltd, Goondiwindi
The Western Australian presentation will be at Harvey on 3 October.
The Western Australian finalists are:
Most Outstanding MSA Feedlot:
- Fotheringhame Pty Ltd, Pederah Creek, Karlgarin
- Kylagh Feedlot, Tammin
- Westbeef Holdings, Kalannie
Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer (Band 1):
- WP & CK Dumbrell, Walpole
- Giulio Perrella, Cumpunya, Northcliffe
- LE & AG Wolfe, Albany
Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer (Band 2):
- MD & LL Cole, Nannup
- Derek and Elizabeth Dilkes, Catterick
- C A Vinci, Beelerup
MSA Progress Award:
- Darlow Pastoral Company Pty Ltd, Neridup
- HD & AL & NJ Lindberg, Mount Barker
- Sandlewood Farms, Harvey
To find out more information about the MSA Program and the MSA Awards criteria visit: http://www.mla.com.au/msa.